Chapter 156: The Beginning

Swift and sharp, a three-eyed merman in the sea snatched the parchment instantly and presented it before Samuel.

It was then that Samuel noticed the parchment detailed various wizard organizations and foundational inheritances within the Holy Circle City, while its conclusion provided a meticulous breakdown of the city's defensive barrier structure.

Samuel did not know what the masked man's true intentions were. Though he was confident in his ability to breach the Holy Circle City's defenses even without this structural blueprint, since it had been delivered right to his doorstep, there was no reason not to make use of it.

Yet, considering that the Holy Circle City still possessed considerable strength, Samuel had deployed his subordinates to encircle the Lost Domain. This would disperse the city's combat power and facilitate his own operations.

In the days that followed, the masked man frequently visited these waters to bring Samuel the latest intelligence on the Holy Circle City, which Samuel readily accepted. On several occasions, he had wished to invite the visitor down for a proper discussion, but the masked man ignored him entirely, departing immediately after handing over the parchment.

Relying on the information provided by the masked man, Samuel proceeded with his deployment step by step, preparing to deliver a devastating blow to both the Holy Circle City and the entire Lost Domain.

Samuel knew very well that the prize he had pursued for so long might well be located within the Holy Circle City, and Mavis could be there as well. But none of that mattered anymore.

As long as he found that person, stripped away their bloodline, and utilized the abundant resources of the Holy Circle City to continuously elevate his power, he would undoubtedly become many times stronger than he was now. That was his ultimate desire.

While Samuel completed his preparations, the Holy Circle City had long since laid its plans.

The leaders of the entire Holy Circle City and its numerous wizard organizations gathered with grim expressions to discuss the impending crisis.

What they were about to face might well determine the very survival of the Lost Domain.

"Weren't we supposed to finalize the dispatch of troops to station around the Lost Domain the day after tomorrow? Why are we reopening negotiations!" Cairo muttered with a heavy expression as he stepped into the Tower of the Light Ring. He had a premonition that this hastily summoned emergency meeting would bring nothing good. Cairo had come alone, representing the Silver Rose at the gathering.

Presently, the various wizard organizations of the Holy Circle City were overwhelmed with preparations, leaving them no choice but to send single representatives.

Walking into the cavernous conference hall, Cairo casually found a seat. Most of the wizard representatives present were acquaintances; even those with whom he had past friction exchanged nods of greeting under the current grim circumstances.

"My apologies for summoning everyone back just a day before our departure!"

A middle-aged man draped in golden robes stood upon the conference platform.

He was Fabian Cuberot, the current master of the Tower of the Light Ring and the primary combat force for this campaign.

"I have terrible news to share: the sea race can no longer assist us!" Fabian spoke expressionlessly, though anxiety consumed him inwardly. He knew the terrifying power of that deep-sea demonic whale all too well, not to mention the reports of a giant magic disc octopus that had surfaced from the depths.

Though his dispatched search parties had found no trace of it, he could not afford to assume the creature did not exist.

"How can this be! Didn't the sea race agree to provide aid? Are they breaking their word?"

No sooner had Fabian's voice fallen than the conference hall erupted into heated discussions concerning the betrayal of the sea race.

One wizard leaped to his feet, loudly demanding an explanation from Fabian on the platform as to what had transpired.

Seeing someone else voice the question on everyone's mind, the remaining wizards fell silent once more, turning their attention back to Fabian for an answer.

"Word came from the sea race not long ago that the forces they sent to aid us have been massacred, with only a handful managing to escape back. At present, the entire Lost Domain has been surrounded by sea monsters, and no fewer than a hundred tier-two sea monsters have been identified among them!"

The moment the words left his mouth, murmurs rippled through the hall again, with many secretly transmitting messages to one another.

"Silence!!" Fabian bellowed, channeling his spiritual power. Every wizard in the hall felt as though they had been struck by a heavy blow; their minds reeled with dizziness, and absolute quiet descended instantly.

"I know what you are all thinking, and I know the little tricks you are playing. I can't speak for the rest, but I assure you—if any of your respective wizard organizations dare to abandon this campaign, I will wipe you out first. Feel free to test me; I can ensure you don't even make it out of the Holy Circle City alive!"

Fabian spoke slowly from the platform, sweeping his gaze across every wizard present. Some lacked the courage to meet his eyes and lowered their heads; only those staunchly allied with the Tower of the Light Ring bowed slightly, Cairo among them.

"Without the support of the sea race, this battle will be infinitely harder to fight. But that does not mean we can afford to surrender. Once the sea monsters occupy the entire Lost Domain, do you truly believe fleeing will save you?"

"This time, I expect you to bring forth your true inheritances. Otherwise, you might not live to see my face after this battle!" Fabian's strength was beyond dispute; he was the linchpin against the deep-sea demonic whale. Should he withdraw, total chaos would ensue.

"That is all I have to say. Return to your quarters, and when we dispatch forces to the perimeter defenses the day after tomorrow, I hope to see your sincerity."

With that, Fabian turned and departed first, leaving the wizards in the hall staring blankly at one another.

"This is getting interesting!" Cairo glanced around the hall before leaving as well. The Silver Rose had always stood firmly with the Tower of the Light Ring, rendering such political maneuvering irrelevant to them.

Naturally, the sabotage involving the sea race had been orchestrated by Samuel, who had deliberately exposed numerous tier-two sea monsters solely to sap the Holy Circle City of its combat strength.

Following the adjournment of Fabian's emergency meeting, the leadership of many wizard organizations spent a sleepless night in the Holy Circle City, with numerous factions gathering in private to deliberate their next move.

Having resided in the Holy Circle City for years, they understood Fabian's character all too well; a man who dared utter such threats would not hesitate to execute them. Yet, facing the potential annihilation of their organizations, they were forced to weigh their options with extreme caution.

Hughes remained entirely oblivious to these developments, as matters of this scale had not yet reached his level. Upon arriving at the Silver Rose, he had settled into the quarters assigned to him that very evening.

Along the way, Hughes had encountered several potion-crafting wizards, most of whom wore expressions of profound gloom, evidently having been assigned to the front lines.

Those who had escaped assignment, however, dared not celebrate openly; at any moment, reassignments could land on their heads.

Every wizard in the Holy Circle City was now fully aware of the impending doom. That night, the city, which had stood proud for millennia, plunged into a profound silence, as countless spellcasters harbored quiet dread for the dawn.